Ring



' y 26, 1956 e. P. SHILLINGER 3,

RING

Filed June 24, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ila. z

ATTORNEYS y 26, 1956 G. P. SHlLLlNGER 3,

RING

Filed June 24, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 up? fW ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,262,455 RllNG George P. Shillinger, 735 Wendover Blvd, Muskegon, Mich. Filed June 24, 19M, Ser. No. 377,592 3 Claims. (4C1. 129-1) This invention relates to loose leaf binders, and more particularly to a novel paper supporting ring structure for binders.

Loose leaf binders available today conunonly employ either (1) a few metal rings supported on a special mechanism in the stiff cover jacket to be alternatively spread or closed or (2) a large number of split, deformable plastic rings held together on a common backbone and encircling the back edges of both the pages and covers.

The metallic rings are convenient in enabling page insertion, removal, and substitution, but are necessarily expensive because of the complex structure. The plastic rings have a definite cost advantage due to their structural simplicity, but can only be assembled with the pages by using a special machine to simultaneously spread all of the rings and insert the page. Manual insertion or substitution of pages into the plastic rings is not practical or even possible. Further, the individual plastic rings do not have substantial strength due to their required resiliency and deformability.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a loose leaf binder ring structure capable of fabrication of plastic and yet enabling manual page insertion, removal and/or substitution without any special mechanism, tools or skill.

It is another object of this invention to provide a relatively rigid, sturdy, loose leaf binder ring construction allowing page insertion and easy removal without special mechanism to cause ring spreading and reclosure, without ring deformation, without special tools, and yet which retains the pages from falling out.

Another object of this invention is to provide a binder with a split ring structure enabling a few rings formed of plastic to have excellent strength and rigidity, yet allowing manual assembly of the complete loose leaf binder, including pages.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a loose leaf binder with the capacity to be completely prepared and assembled in a print shop or the like relatively inexpensively, thereby eliminating the need for book binder costs and delays as well as lessening overall material costs from loose leaf binders which conventionally allow page insertion and removal. The novel binder structure fills a definite need in the art for an inexpensive binder capable of manual assembly and subsequent page insertion.

These and several other objects of this invention will become apparent upon studying the following specification 1n con unction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view, partially cut away, of the novel loose leaf binder, jacket, and ring structure;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational, partially exploded view of the novel binder showing assembly on the jacket;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged elevational view of the apparatus in FIG. 2 as assembled;

FIG. 4 is a perspective enlarged fragmentary view of the apparatus in FIGS. 2 and 3 in exploded form;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the assembled binder showing page insertion; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the novel binder showing page removal.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the complete loose leaf binder and jacket assembly 10 includes 3,262,455 Patented July 26, 1966 "ice a jacket 12 which has a typical front, back, and interconnecting back edge 14.

The binder structure itself includes an outer elongated strip 16, an inner elongated strip 18, connection means 20 therebetween, and a plurality of rings 22 extending from the inner face of strip 18.

A preferred form of the assembly of inner strip 18 with outer strip 16 includes a plurality of spaced male projections 26 on the outer strip which project through openings in back edge 20 and sockets 28 through the inner strip. These sockets each have a first diameter portion substantially the size of the male projections to receive them, and a countersunk surface recess 30 larger in diameter than the projection. Sliding collars 32 interfit with corresponding slots 34 beneath the head of projections 26 when the two strips are interconnected, to retain them in assembled position. These are received by the countersunk recesses.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 both of the strips have a slightly curved configuration on their upper and lower surfaces. Preferably they are both made of a plastic material. The curvature of the outer strip 16 is greater than that of inner strip 18, at least at the outer, tapered, decreasing thickness edges 38. These edges are resiliently deformable.

Normally when male projections 26 are inserted into the female sockets, the male projections do not protrude clear through the openings, except when the two strips are pressed together to resiliently deform tapered edges 38 against back edge 14 of the jacket in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3. In this condition collars 32 are slidably connected so that, when the strips are released, the collar prevents the protrusion from retracting back through the opening. The convex under surface of strip 18 therefore cooperates with the concave upper surface of strip 16 as described.

The concave upper surface of strip 18 cooperates with the unique integral ring element 40 in another fashion. Normally, three of these integral plastic rings 40 are utilized. Each ring is generally circular, is joined to the strip 18 on only one side of the strip and one end of the ring. The other end of the ring is free and spaced slightly from the strip, yet is overlapping in the curved fashion illustrated. That is, the ring is integral on one end with the strip to substantially define a loop and includes a free terminal end 42 curved substantially like that of curved edge 44 of strip 18. This defines a narrow split or gap between the ring and edge to form a rigid split ring construction.

The lower terminal end 42 of the ring preferably is a small teat projecting slightly down toward the strip as illustrated. Inside the confines of the ring, on an axis extending the length of the strip, is a stop surface formed by the back edge 46 of groove 47. This is spaced from the terminal end of the ring a controlled definite amount. This surface forms an inner stop or limit for the pages being inserted into the ring structure. The terminal portion 42 of the ring extends between and intersects a plane drawn between this stop surface and the outer terminal edge 44 of the strip adjacent the ring split.

Another stop 50 forming a longitudinal stop function for the pages is formed integrally on one end of strip 18. This integral flange extends a substantial distance across the strip at one end adjacent the other stop surface 46. This flange serves to align the openings in the pages longitudinally with the ends of rings 40.

In operation, several pages may actually be inserted at once. These pages are drawn as one cooperative group for convenience in FIGS. 5 and 6.

When pages are to be inserted, the ring and strip construction features cooperate uniquely. Assuming a plurality of pages having spaced ring openings 62 are to be inserted in the binder structure, these pages are oriented and slid into the slots between the rings and strip 18 until they abut stop surface 46. In this position, openings 62 in the pages are aligned transversely with respect to ring ends 42, out not necessarily longitudinally. The pages are then slid or jogged longitudinally along edge 46 until the pages abut stop flange Sit. The openings in the pages are then completely aligned both longitudinally and transversely with the rings.

Then the pages are depressed manually from their diagonal position so that terminal edge 44 of strip 18 serves as a fulcrum, as the pages move in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 5. This rotates the pages to shift the openings over the rings as illustrated at 6%) in FIG. 5. This is the normal position of the pages since fulcrum 44 then serves a second function of a support rest for the pages. Normally, when the pages are flipped back and forth on the ring therefore, the position illustrated at 60' will be the terminal position, since the weight of the pages retains them thusly. They will not normally become accidentally dislodged from the ring structure therefore, since they must be specially diagonally oriented for removal. Therefore, once the pages are attached, they are secure even though attachment is simple and assumes only a moment. These facts have been proven by actual use of the device.

To remove the pages, the back bottom portion 54 of rings 40 adjacent strip fulcrum 44 are used as fulcrum points. The pages at 60" in FIG. 6 are gripped on the outer edge and tilted to the position illustrated so that openings 62 are adjacent the lower terminal ends of the rings. The complete disconnection is achieved by using portions 54 of the ring as fulcrums when tilting the pages as shown by the arrow in FIG. 6, to cause the pages to be snapped off the lower tips of the rings and placed in the position illustrated at 60 in FIG. 6. They are then ready to be pulled out of the ring assembly. It has been found by experience that pages can be inserted and removed with ease in only a moment of time, without rings being resilient or deformable, and without requiring complex mechanism to spread and reclose them.

If it is desired to remove the entire binder assembly from the jacket, this is achieved simply by pressing the strips together, removing the locking collars, and allowing the strips to become separated.

Various additional advantages of this assembly will probably occur to those having ordinary skill in this art, upon studying the foregoing specification and drawings. It is conceivable that changes in the details of the structure could be made without departing from the concept presented. Therefore, the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims and the reasonably equivalent structures to those defined therein.

I claim:

1. A loose leaf binder structure comprising an elongated support strip having a plurality of sheet support rings extending therefrom; each of said rings forming a loop, having one side integral with said strip, forming an open split on the opposite side with said support strip, and having a free terminal portion at said second side extending toward said support strip and overlapping but spaced from a portion of said support strip, inwardly of said loop; said strip having sheet stop surface means forming sheet alignment means longitudinally of said strip, inside said rings, and between said one side and said second side, for transversely aligning perforations of inserted sheets with the free terminal portions of said rings; and said portion of said strip protruding along said second side and having a terminal edge adjacent said second side and said split, forming an elongated fulcrum for perforated sheets inserted into said splits to be fitted on said rings; and said terminal edge being cooperative with said terminal portions of said rings, forming retention means for, but allowing sheets to be fitted thereon and removed therefrom.

2. A loose leaf binder structure comprising an elongated support strip having a plurality of sheet support rings extending therefrom; each of said rings forming a loop having one side integral with said strip, forming an open split on the opposite side with said support strip, and having a terminal portion extending toward said support strip and overlapping but spaced from a portion of said support strip inwardly of said loop; sheet stop surface means forming sheet alignment means longitudinally of said strip, inside said rings, between said first and second sides, for transversely aligning perforations of diagonally inserted sheets with the terminal portions of said rings; said terminal ring portions and said strip portion being configurated to cause said split to be diagonally oriented toward said sheet stop surface; and said strip portion being curled along said ring second sides and having an elongated terminal edge adjacent said split forming -a fulcrum for inserted pages, and forming a rest for perforated pages fitted on said rings.

3. The structure in claim 2 wherein the terminal portion of each of said rings extends across an imaginary plane including said stop surface means and said terminal edge.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,895,972 1/1933 Childs 129-23 2,017,220 10/1935 Schade 281-25 2,244,663 6/1941 Adams 129-23 3,175,847 3/ 1965 McKowen 281-36 FOREIGN PATENTS 46,934 8/ 1936 France. 483,709 4/1938 Great Britain. 433,363 4/ 1948 Italy.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A LOOSE LEAF BINDER STRUCTURE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED SUPPORT STRIP HAVING A PLURALITY OF SHEET SUPPORT RINGS EXTENDING THEREFROM; EACH OF SAID RINGS FORMING A LOOP, HAVING ONE SIDE INTEGRAL WITH SAID STRIP, FORMING AN OPEN SLIT ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE WITH AND SUPPORT STRIP, AND HAVING A FREE TERMINAL PORTION AT SAID SECOND SIDE EXTENDING TOWARD SAID SUPPORT STRIP AND OVERLAPPING BUT SPACED FROM A PORTION OF SAID SUPPORT STRIP, INWARDLY OF SAI LOOP; SAID STRIP HAVING SHEET STOP SURFACE MEANS FORMING SHEET ALIGNMENT MEANS LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID STRIP, INSIDE SAID RINGS, AND BETWEEN SAID ONE SIDE AND STRIP, INSIDE SAID RINGS, AND BETWEEN SAID ONE SIDE AND INSERTED SHEETS WITH THE FREE TERMINAL PORTIONS OF SAID RINGS; AND SAID PORTION OF SAID STRIP PROTRUDING ALONG SAID SECOND SIDE AND HAVING A TERMINAL EDGE ADJACENT SAID SECOND SIDE AND SAID SPLIT, FORMING AN ELONGATED FULCRUM FOR PERFORATED SHEETS INSERTED INTO SAID SPLITS TO BE FITTED ON SAID RINGS; AND SAID TERMINAL EDGE BEING COOPERATIVE WITH SAID TERMINAL PORTIONS OF SAID RINGS, FORMING RETENTION MEANS FOR, BUT ALLOWING SHEETS TO BE FITTED THEREON AND REMOVED THEREFROM. 